New case of bluetongue confirmed

New animal movement restrictions are being introduced in Cambridgeshire after a second case of bluetongue disease was confirmed in the county.

The new case was found in cattle grazing near Pymoor, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed.

A new control zone has been put in place covering the affected area.

The wider control zone now includes parts of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambs, Northants, Kent and Sussex.

Non-contagious virus

Animals in this area can only be taken out of the zone if they are to go directly for slaughter.

The control is surrounded by a larger protection zone which remains unchanged.

Another case was of the disease was identified in Peterborough earlier this month.

Bluetongue is a non-contagious virus spread by a midge species, affecting ruminants including sheep and cattle. It can also affect goats and deer.

The Department of the Environment has published its first epidemiology report into the Bluetongue outbreak.

It concludes that the infection was likely to have been initially found its way into East Anglia almost three months ago by "the windborne transmission of infected midges from continental Europe".

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